Scottish Executive

Air Services

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32390 by Lewis Macdonald on 18 December 2002, what appropriate agencies and airport operators are working with it in developing details of the Interim Route Development Fund and when details of this work will be made public.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive is working in partnership with Scottish Enterprise and VisitScotland in carrying forward its route development initiative. Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Airports Limited are involved with respect to Highlands and Islands issues. Officials and appointed consultants have met, and continue to hold discussions with, the operators of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow Prestwick, Dundee and Highlands and Islands Airports.

Air Services

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32390 by Lewis Macdonald on 18 December 2002, whether any of the discussions with airlines were with British Airways or Loganair and covered the use of the Interim Route Development Fund to develop their Highlands and Islands services.

Lewis Macdonald: The Interim Route Development Fund is focussed on investing in UK and European routes which show the greatest value to Scotland as a whole in terms of business links, inward investment and inbound tourism. Consultants are currently developing a meetings strategy, which will include Loganair and BA Citiexpress, in order to pursue opportunities for developing target routes.

Ambulance Service

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many journeys were undertaken in 2002 by ambulances transferring patients from the Garrick Hospital in Stranraer to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

Malcolm Chisholm: Between 1 January 2002 and 31 December 2002, the Scottish Ambulance Service made 548 journeys transferring patients from the Garrick Hospital in Stranraer to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

Dental Health

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been removed from dentists’ lists as a result of the 15-month NHS registration period in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area, and what policy or guidelines exist regarding (a) notification that exclusion from a list is imminent and (b) re-admission to a list.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The number of patients who have been removed from dentists’ lists as a result of the 15-month NHS registration period in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area, is shown in the following table:

   
NHS Board Lapsed 
Patient Registrations1,2Year 
1998 1999
2000 2001
2002  Ayrshire 
and Arran 53,792
58,802 55,629
54,702 56,392
 Borders
12,828 14,118
14,503 14,068
12,721  Argyll 
and Clyde 63,366
69,081 66,534
64,529 65,069
 Fife
49,059 53,430
53,293 48,911
47,783  Greater 
Glasgow 155,050
168,171 161,542
159,101 159,818
 Highland
26,375 27,798
27,497 27,389
25,160  Lanarkshire
76,565 87,486
85,321 83,180
82,395  Grampian
67,124 72,498
70,057 67,030
61,600  Orkney
3,581 2,568
3,104 2,979
3,401  Lothian
115,689 124,446
116,484 112,626
110,550  Tayside
55,018 62,871
59,877 56,828
57,362  Forth 
Valley 39,258
42,489 41,928
39,521 38,496
 Western Isles
4,207 4,863
4,955 4,352
5,378  Dumfries 
and Galloway 19,688
21,173 19,244
19,591 19,106
 Shetland
2,599 2,862
2,666 2,957
2,262  Scotland
744,199 812,656
782,634 757,764
747,493 

  Notes:

  1. Patient registration may have lapsed on more than one occasion.

  2. Patients may have re-registered subsequently with the same or a different dentist.

  Under their NHS terms of service, if a dentist intends to withdraw from an NHS arrangement, whether with or without the patient's consent, the patient is entitled to receive written notice from the dentist or the NHS board/Primary Care NHS Trust depending on the circumstances.

  Once a patient's registration has lapsed it is for the dentist, as an independent contractor, to decide if he/she is prepared to enter into a new continuing care arrangement with the patient.

Digital Technology

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £24 million recently allocated to extend access to broadband services will be spent, broken down by (a) project and (b) parliamentary constituency.

Iain Gray: Proposals are currently being developed to accelerate and extend access to broadband services across Scotland and to increase take-up of existing and projected services. This will include separate infrastructure programmes in the Highlands and Islands and the Scottish Enterprise area, supported by generic marketing and a business incentive package to encourage take-up. Consultations are taking place with a wide range of stakeholders about how these three projects will be taken forward and no final decisions have yet been taken on the breakdown of expenditure in the different geographical areas.

Elections

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost will be of the proposed advertising campaign for the Scottish Parliament and local government elections in May 2003.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which company has been awarded the contract for the advertising campaign for the Scottish Parliament and local government elections in May 2003 and what the value is of the contract.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost will be of the advertising campaign for the Scottish Parliament and local government elections in May 2003 (a) in (i) local and (ii) national newspapers and (b) on (1) the radio and (2) television.

Peter Peacock: The Electoral Commission, which is independent, has responsibility for running the public awareness campaign for the Scottish Parliament elections. The Scottish Executive has this responsibility with regard to local elections as these fall outside the remit of the commission.

  The commission and Executive are working together in the run up to 1 May to encourage increased voter participation. The detail of the joint campaign has still to be finalised but it is expected that the Executive will contribute about £230,000 to the advertising costs for newspapers, poster sites and television for the local government element. I understand that the commission has appointed St Luke's advertising agency to handle the campaign. Questions on the costs of the Scottish Parliament elections element of the campaign are for the commission.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vessels are entitled to fish in the Scottish zone and whether it will give a breakdown of such vessels registered (a) in and (b) outwith Scotland.

Ross Finnie: All UK licensed fishing vessels, just over 6,470, are entitled to fish in the Scottish fishery zone. In addition, vessels from other member states and third countries are also entitled to fish in the zone.

  Of the UK licensed vessels, 2,333 have a port of registration in Scotland, with the remainder having registration markings linked to ports outwith Scotland.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action was agreed at the recent EU Fisheries Council meeting regarding the sand eel fishery in the North Sea.

Ross Finnie: The Agriculture and Fisheries Council agreed that the Total Allowable Catch for sandeels in the North Sea for 2003 should be 918,000 tonnes and that the EC share of this should be 863,000 tonnes. Of this, 814,067 tonnes were allocated to Denmark and 17,794 tonnes were allocated to the UK.

  The Council further agreed that sandeel vessels should be restricted to a maximum of 23 days fishing per month within the regulated area and that the closure of the Wee Bankie sandeel fishery off the east coast of Scotland should be continued in 2003.

General Practitioners

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why introduction of the new GP contract has been delayed until 21 February 2003 and when the contract will be fully implemented.

Malcolm Chisholm: The negotiating timetable for the new general medical services (GMS) contract was extended to 21 February to allow sufficient time for negotiations to take place. Ministers in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are fully committed to the new GMS contract negotiations process and to the implementation of a new contract as soon as is practicable, assuming agreement can be reached.

  We will continue to support the NHS Confederation and General Practitioner Committee in seeking to reach agreement and are making every effort to that end. We have no wish whatsoever to delay an agreement being reached but it is important to get matters right rather than just do them quickly.

  As was stated in the framework document for the new contract published in April 2002, we are committed to phased implementation of the new contract taking place from April 2003.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that NHS trusts implement Partnership Information Network guidelines and what penalties will be faced by trusts that fail to implement them in the future.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33183 on 23 January 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-6086 by Mr Frank McAveety on 12 December 2002, what consideration it has given to adopting a policy in Scotland similar to that of Her Majesty’s Government’s of placing 700 defibrillators in 72 public places in England and Wales.

Malcolm Chisholm: Our national advisory body on coronary heart disease will continue to keep under review the evidence on the benefits of siting automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public places. This need not prevent local initiatives based on local assessments of cost-effectiveness.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have health improvement officers.

Malcolm Chisholm: All NHS boards have Health Promotion Departments which employ staff whose aim is to build the capacity of the public, business and voluntary sectors to promote the health of communities and individuals. These staff have various responsibilities of which health improvement is one.

  In addition NHS boards, local authorities and the Scottish Executive are jointly funding health improvement posts based in each local authority area. 31 of these posts are currently filled. The responsibilities of these postholders are to support and contribute to the development of joint local Health Improvement Plans, facilitate their implementation through service planning and delivery in each local authority area, work with council services to develop and support their contribution to the health improvement agenda and to facilitate partnership working between local authorities and others, particularly NHS boards, in ways which will contribute to the joint health improvement agenda.

Housing

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether £27 million was made available to fund implementation of Part 1 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, as referred to by Mr Jack McConnell in his answer to question S1F-1518 on 20 December 2001; if so, how this money was allocated, how much was allocated to each local authority and what the reasons were for each allocation and how each local authority has spent its allocation.

Des McNulty: £27 million was made available to local authorities to assist with implementation of Part 1 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 (homelessness provisions). Specifically local authorities are required to apply the funding to increase the provision of temporary accommodation; to increase and improve the provision of advice and assistance, and to develop and deliver local homelessness strategies. Funding was allocated over three years, from 2001-02 to 2003-04. The table sets out the allocations to each local authority. The funding was allocated according to a formula, agreed with COSLA, based on the level of homeless applications receive by each authority. A small amount of funding was retained for later allocation (as agreed with COSLA) following councils' further assessment of need.

  Based on the guidelines given about the purposes of the funding, local authorities have drawn up local outcome agreements which set out the outcomes authorities expect to achieve. These outcomes are all in line with the purposes set out above.

  
 Local Authority
2001-02 2002-03
2003-04 Total
 Aberdeen City
105,200 424,000
390,000 919,200
 Aberdeenshire
88,900 356,000
330,000 774,900
 Angus 88,900
356,000 395,000
839,900  Argyll 
and Bute 56,300
219,000 210,000
485,300  Clackmannanshire
72,600 275,000
298,000 645,600
 Dumfries and Galloway
88,900 356,000
330,000 774,900
 Dundee
88,900 287,000
270,000 645,900
 East Ayrshire
72,600 287,000
270,000 629,600
 East Dunbartonshire
56,300 219,000
210,000 485,300
 East Lothian
72,600 310,000
320,000 702,600
 East Renfrewshire
50,000 219,000
210,000 479,000
 Edinburgh
235,600 1,075,000
1,030,000 2,340,600
 Eilean Siar
50,000 162,650
156,650 369,300
 Falkirk
88,900 356,000
330,000 774,900
 Fife 170,400
630,000 570,000
1,370,400  Glasgow
382,300 1,640,000
1,470,000 3,492,300
 Highland
72,600 287,000
270,000 629,600
 Inverclyde
56,300 219,000
210,000 485,300
 Midlothian
56,300 219,000
210,000 485,300
 Moray 56,300
219,000 210,000
485,300  North 
Ayrshire 88,900
356,000 330,000
774,900  North 
Lanarkshire 121,500
424,000 390,000
935,500  Orkney
50,000 162,650
156,650 369,300
 Perth and Kinross
72,600 356,000
330,000 758,600
 Renfrewshire
72,600 287,000
270,000 629,600
 South Lanarkshire
121,500 424,000
390,000 935,500
 South Ayrshire
72,600 356,000
330,000 758,600
 Scottish Borders
56,300 287,000
270,000 613,300
 Shetland
50,000 162,650
156,650 369,300
 Stirling
88,900 287,000
270,000 645,900
 West Lothian
105,200 424,000
390,000 919,200
 West Dunbartonshire
72,600 356,000
330,000 758,600
 Total 2,982,600
11,997,950 11,302,950
26,282,500

Justice

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reconviction rates have been for offenders (a) discharged from custody and (b) given non-custodial sentences in each year since 1996.

Mr Jim Wallace: The available information on two-year reconviction rates for the disposals requested are given in the following table.

  Persons Released from a Custodial Sentence or Given a Non-Custodial Sentence in Each Year 1996 to 1999: Percentage Reconvicted Within Two Years, by Index Result1

  
  1996
1997 1998
1999  All offenders
45 44
43 42
 Index disposal: custody
66 63
63 61
 Index disposal: non-custody
42 41
40 39


  Note:

  1. Figures are provisional.

Justice

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been in each of the last three years for an offence where an aggravation of homophobic malice has been (a) alleged and (b) proven.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is not available.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what work is currently being undertaken to develop the proposed Scottish Outdoor Access Code, defined in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill; which organisations are participating in any such work, and whether any such organisations are doing so directly or through Scottish Natural Heritage.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what account will be taken of the views of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association in drawing up the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, defined in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how any organisations that wish to influence the drawing up of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, defined in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, may do so.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive the next draft of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, defined in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive after what date no further representations will be accepted on the next draft of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, defined in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33233 on 23 January 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Meat Industry

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it plans to take to encourage farmers to replace the export to Europe of live animals with the export of meat and carcasses.

Ross Finnie: Quality Meat Scotland is working with major lamb producers to support long-term profitable opportunities for quality Scottish lamb products. Whilst we would strongly prefer to see meat and carcasses exported, the clear legal position confirmed by two European Court judgements, is that the trade in live animals for slaughter is legal and restricting or banning it could not be defended in law.

Mental Health

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to index-link the mental illness specific grant for 2003-04 and future financial years.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: We increased mental illness specific grant in April 2001 to £19 million a year, and are further increasing it to £20 million in April. There are no plans to index link the grant, but its size will be considered, along with all other Scottish Executive expenditure, in future public spending reviews.

NHS Funding

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the review by the Standing Committee on Resource Allocation of the formula for the allocation of NHS board funding will be complete; what consultations it has carried out on this matter, and when it plans to implement any revised recommendations of the committee.

Malcolm Chisholm: I expect the Standing Committee on Resource Allocation (SCRA) to produce its conclusions by the summer of 2003. To date, no consultation has been carried out. The extent of any future consultation and the timing of the implementation of any revised recommendations cannot be determined until SCRA’s conclusions are known.

NHS Spending

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on independent management consultants in the Grampian NHS Board area in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally. Grampian NHS Board should be contacted directly for the detail required.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average out-patient waiting time has been in each NHS board area in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Malcolm Chisholm: The median waiting times, in days, for first out-patient appointments for the last three years is given in the following table.

  
 NHS Board (Residence)
Year Ending March 
2000 2001
2002  Scotland
45 46
50  Argyll and 
Clyde 42
41 44
 Ayr and Arran
36 41
45  Borders
33 35
35  Dumfries and 
Galloway 45
46 53
 Fife 51
49 56
 Forth Valley
49 52
56  Grampian
50 55
61  Greater Glasgow
48 48
53  Highland
34 35
37  Lanarkshire
51 52
58  Lothian
42 42
46  Orkney
28 31
36  Shetland
34 34
27  Tayside
43 43
48  Western Isles
32 32
33 

  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR00.

  Note:

  Out-patient waiting times are based on referrals of Scottish Residents from GMPs (General Medical Practitioners) or GDPs (General Dental Practitioners). Guarantee Exception Codes (GEC) cases are excluded.

Planning

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development will play in the consideration of the planning application to build a 60-turbine wind power station at Robin Rigg in the Solway Firth and of the objections to the application, with specific reference to national scenic areas.

Lewis Macdonald: The Minister for the Environment and Rural Development will have no direct role to play in the consideration of the application for consent for the proposed wind farm development at Robin Rigg. I shall make the determination on behalf of the Scottish ministers.

Planning

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to consider the planning application to build a 60-turbine wind power station at Robin Rigg in the Solway Firth and what consultation process will be introduced.

Lewis Macdonald: An application has been made to the Scottish ministers for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the construction and operation of a wind farm at Robin Rigg. That part of development that will take place within Scottish waters will not require planning consent.

  A decision on this application is expected in the near future.

Planning

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider holding a public inquiry on the proposed location of the Robin Rigg development, given the opposition of Dumfries and Galloway Council and Allerdale District Council to the development.

Lewis Macdonald: This application for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 has completed its public consultation process and is being considered by officials. A recommendation has yet to be brought before the Scottish ministers for determination. The decision on whether a public inquiry should be held will be made then.

Population

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the population density per square kilometre is in (a) Scotland, (b) the East Dunbartonshire Council area and (c) the East Renfrewshire Council area.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is published by the Registrar General for Scotland in Table 7 of his 2001 Population Report published on 30 September 2002. A copy is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 24442).

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31082 by Mr Jim Wallace on 8 November 2002, when it will publish its contracts for the provision of education services in prisons.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  In the answer given to question S1W-31082, the SPS agreed to make arrangements for the publication of its contracts for the provision of education services in prisons. I also refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31444 on 22 November 2002, which explained that the SPS was currently in discussion with Medacs Health Care about the publication of the contract for medical services and that, on conclusion of that piece of work, it will commence discussions with local authorities on the publication of contracts for the provision of social work contracts. These tasks are sequenced, and once this work is completed we will commence work on the publication of contracts for education provision.

  I can report that work on the Medacs Health Care contract is nearing completion and it will be published soon.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people imprisoned for default of a fine in each of the last five years were unemployed, broken down by offence, age and sex.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The requested information has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 26027).

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people imprisoned other than for default of a fine in each of the last five years were unemployed, broken down by offence, age and sex.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The requested information has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 26041).

Rail Services

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role rail services will play in the provision of rural transport, in the light of paragraphs 2-9 in section B of the report by the Scottish National Rural Partnership, Implementing Services in Rural Scotland: A Progress Report .

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive’s consultation paper Strategic Priorities for Scotland’s Passenger Railway , published in November 2000, included our priorities for rail services in rural Scotland.

  In particular, the paper outlined the Executive’s expectation that the rail industry in Scotland would assist in the development of viable rural communities and the objective of tackling the peripherality of many rural communities through the delivery of reduced journey times from those communities where sufficient benefits can be generated.

Regeneration

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £40.1 million allocated to Glasgow under the City Growth Fund will be made available in the first year of the fund.

Mr Andy Kerr: £8.897 million will be made available to Glasgow in the first year of the City Growth Fund, to promote growth and opportunities in the city and city-region.

Regeneration

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which towns and cities have benefited, or are benefiting, from the URBAN I and II programmes and from urban pilot projects.

Peter Peacock: Glasgow North and Paisley participated in the 1994-99 URBAN I programme. Port Glasgow and Clydebank (South) are eligible under URBAN II for the 2000-06 programming period.

Regeneration

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has, in the light of its cities review, to promote the Urbact programme under the URBAN II initiative in towns and cities.

Peter Peacock: We were successful in securing URBAN II status for Port Glasgow and Clydebank South for the 2000-06 period. I expect the area to take full advantage of the URBAN II funding available and complementary initiatives such as URBACT. Partner organisations have already been made aware of the URBACT programme. The monitoring committee will consider opportunities at its next meeting in April.

Regeneration

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to appoint an official to the monitoring committee for the Urbact programme under the URBAN II initiative and, if not, how it will ensure that towns and cities will be selected for the programme.

Peter Peacock: The United Kingdom will be represented on the monitoring committee. Liaison between UK Structural Funds Departments will ensure that Scottish interests are represented at this strategic level.

  Precise arrangements have still to be agreed for appraisal and selection of projects. However, this is unlikely to take place in the monitoring committee. It may be possible, therefore, to participate at a more practical level – as we are already doing in the working group developing the programme itself and the programme complement.

Renewable Energy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27299 by Lewis Macdonald on 5 August 2002, what measures it has taken to promote Energy Saving Trust grants for the installation of solar/photovoltaic units.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Community Renewables Initiative advisory service (SCRI), launched last summer in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, provides a network of expert advisers across Scotland. This service has been augmented by the launch this month of an SCRI website and new Scottish Executive funding for household and community renewables projects. Consequently, information and advice about the availability of grants for solar/photovoltaic installations is now more widely available and easier to access.

Scottish Executive Websites

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected annual running costs are of the Care in Scotland website and for how many years the website is forecast to operate.

Cathy Jamieson: Development and maintenance costs to date are £34,762 inclusive of VAT. Hosting and search engine submission costs are respectively, £300 and £1,200 per year, exclusive of VAT. It is anticipated that the website will operate well beyond the initial advertising of the campaign. The website has attracted significant interest and is proving to be a valuable source of information. There is currently no time limit. We will continue to develop and update the website as long as it remains valuable and delivers results.

Special Educational Needs

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities will be included in the Inclusive Learning Network for children with special educational needs announced by the Minister for Education and Young People on 14 January 2003; how much each local authority will receive from the £150,000 announced for the network, and what formula will determine the amounts received by local authorities.

Cathy Jamieson: The Inclusive Learning Network project is funded through the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Innovation Grants Programme, which is paid to the voluntary sector in support of good practice and new ideas in SEN provision. The Equity Group has been awarded £150,000 to take forward this project in partnership with six local authorities: Argyll and Bute, Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, Scottish Borders and North Lanarkshire. Local authorities, although providing staff and other resources, will not directly receive any of the £150,000 project funding.

Special Educational Needs

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Inclusive Learning Network for children with special educational needs announced by the Minister for Education and Young People on 14 January 2003 will be expanded to enable all local authorities to become part of the scheme.

Cathy Jamieson: The Inclusive Learning Network is a discrete project, ending in March 2004, funded via the Executive’s Special Educational Needs Innovation Grants Programme for the voluntary sector. There are no current plans to extend it beyond the six local authorities involved. There will be a final evaluation report on the project which should help inform best practice in other local authority areas.

Teachers

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for early retirement from teaching on health grounds have been made in each year since 1 September 1997 and how many of these have been successful.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information available is given in the following table. It is held on a financial year basis and is available only from September 1998. The approved cases include applications which were successful on review.

  
 Year Applications 
Received Applications Approved
 1-9-1998 to 31-3-1999
288 223
 1-4-1999 to 31-3-2000
521 400
 1-4-2000 to 31-3-2001
496 365
 1-4-2001 to 31-3-2002
461 357

Transport

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of households has access to one or more cars in (a) Scotland and the (b) Glasgow, (c) Aberdeen, (d) Edinburgh, (e) East Renfrewshire and (f) East Dunbartonshire local authority areas.

Lewis Macdonald: The only information which is available comes from the Scottish Household Survey (SHS). It relates to the availability of cars for private use. Overall, in 1999-2000, 64% of households in Scotland had one or more cars available for private use. The percentages for the local authorities were: Glasgow City (40%), Aberdeen City (62%), City of Edinburgh (59%), East Renfrewshire (81%) and East Dunbartonshire (81%).

Transport

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the traffic density has been on major roads in (a) Scotland and the (b) Glasgow, (c) Aberdeen, (d) Edinburgh, (e) East Renfrewshire and (f) East Dunbartonshire local authority areas in each year since 1996, broken down by road class.

Lewis Macdonald: Information about volume of traffic is given on pages 95-97 of Scottish Transport Statistics No. 21, 2002 Edition, and in the equivalent tables of earlier editions. A copy of this document has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 23316).

Transport

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the available figures are on the projected growth in road traffic from 2001 in (a) Scotland and the (b) Glasgow, (c) Aberdeen, (d) Edinburgh, (e) East Renfrewshire and (f) East Dunbartonshire local authority areas.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is given on page 51 of Steer Davies Gleave’s 2001 report to the Executive, Review of Local Transport Strategies and RTRA Reports , a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18728).

Transport

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the available figures are on the projected road traffic growth from 2001, assuming local Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 targets are achieved, in (a) Scotland and the (b) Glasgow, (c) Aberdeen, (d) Edinburgh, (e) East Renfrewshire and (f) East Dunbartonshire local authority areas.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is given on page 51 of Steer Davies Gleave’s 2001 report to the Executive, Review of Local Transport Strategies and RTRA Reports , a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18728).

Vaccines

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether pregnant women are advised of any risks from flu vaccines containing thimerosal.

Malcolm Chisholm: The regulation and safety of medicines is reserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines Control Agency (MCA).

  The MCA has advised that as with any effective medicine or vaccine, influenza vaccine is not without side effects in some recipients. The risks and side effects associated with immunisation with influenza vaccine are stated in the product information for the vaccine. The recommendation of the Department of Health, outlined in its publication Immunisation Against Infectious Disease (1996), is that the vaccine should not be given during pregnancy unless there is a specific indication. It is the responsibility of the prescribing physician to weigh the possible risks of vaccination against the possible risks of clinical infection with influenza virus during pregnancy.

  Not all influenza vaccines used in the UK contain thiomersal (also referred to as thimerosal) in the final product. With the exception of hypersensitivity reactions, there is no evidence that exposure to levels of thiomersal contained in influenza vaccine causes harm to adults or children. Similarly, with regard to vaccination of pregnant women, there is no evidence that the thiomersal content of influenza vaccine causes harm to the developing foetus.

Vaccines

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W- 31190 by Malcolm Chisholm on 13 November 2002, when thimerosal will be eradicated from all vaccines in Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: Manufacturers are being encouraged to phase out the use of thiomersal in vaccines, as a purely precautionary measure. It is anticipated that thiomersal-free vaccines will be considered for provision in the routine childhood immunisation programme after they have been licensed for use in the UK and have demonstrated that they are as effective in protecting children against the real risk presented by vaccine-preventable diseases as the vaccines that are currently used.

Vaccines

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31190 by Malcolm Chisholm on 13 November 2002, why four out of seven flu vaccines currently available on the NHS contain thimerosal, given that European and American regulatory authorities have recommended that vaccine manufacturers should phase out their use of thimerosal wherever possible as a precautionary measure.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Committee on Safety of Medicines has advised that, with the exception of hypersensitivity reactions that typically include skin rashes or soft tissue swelling at the site of injection, there is no evidence of harm from the levels of thiomersal (which contains ethylmercury) contained in vaccines. Further studies have supported this finding. The benefits of immunisation with thiomersal-containing vaccines outweigh any potential risks of vaccination.

  With the exception of hypersensitivity reactions, there is no evidence that exposure to the low levels of thiomersal contained in influenza vaccines causes harm to adults or children.

  Manufacturers are being encouraged to phase out the use of thiomersal in vaccines as a precautionary measure.

Vaccines

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to withdraw infant vaccines that contain mercury in the light of the recent report by the UK medicines information service and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Committee on Safety of Medicines has advised that, with the exception of hypersensitivity reactions that typically include skin rashes or local swelling at the site of injection, there is no evidence of harm from the levels of thiomersal (which contains ethylmercury) contained in vaccines. Further studies, and the advice of the World Health Organisation, are consistent with this finding. The benefits of immunisation outweigh any potential risks of vaccination due to sensitivity from thiomersal.

  However, to reduce avoidable exposure to mercury in general, it has been agreed, on a European-wide basis, that even though there is no evidence of toxicity, as a purely precautionary measure, thiomersal should be phased out over time. The Executive, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) endorse this decision.

  Manufacturers are being encouraged to phase out the use of thiomersal in vaccines as a purely precautionary measure. It is anticipated that thiomersal-free vaccines will be considered for provision in the routine childhood immunisation programme after they have been licensed for use in the UK and have demonstrated that they are as effective in protecting children against the real risk presented by vaccine-preventable diseases as the vaccines that are currently used.

  The only vaccines, used routinely in the childhood immunisation programme, that contain thiomersal in the final products, are the diphtheria, tetanus and wholecell pertussis (DTwP) vaccine and the combined diphtheria and tetanus vaccine (Td). The current expert advice is that DTwP is the most effective of DTP vaccines currently available in the UK.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the allocations to local authorities for the storage, transportation and disposal of disused fridges and freezers in the light of the demand for service.

Ross Finnie: The Executive has made two allocations of specific grant and in each case consulted local authorities beforehand as to their potential costs. We are satisfied that the allocations are fair in all the circumstances and have no plans to carry out a third review.

Water Supply

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has conducted into the effect on public health of the supply of water through lead piping.

Malcolm Chisholm: A survey of lead levels in the water in new Scottish homes, commissioned by the Scottish Executive, was carried out by the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) and published in November 2000. The outcome of further work by SCIEH, building on that survey, will be published within the next eight weeks. A copy will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Water Supply

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to taking part in any pilot schemes in association with Scottish Water and Glasgow City Council to ascertain the number of households receiving their public water supply through lead piping.

Ross Finnie: The Executive has no plans to take part in a pilot scheme to ascertain the number of households in the Glasgow City Council area that have lead pipes. The recent Scotland-wide study, undertaken by Scottish Water, has identified areas where there are likely to be a significant number of properties with lead plumbing. This study included the Glasgow City Council area.

  The results of the study will allow Scottish Water to take action to ensure that the new, tighter standard for lead contained in the EC Drinking Water Directive is complied with by the due date of 25 December 2003.

Young Offenders

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the statement in paragraph 81 of the Audit Scotland report, Dealing with offending by young people, that some children’s panel members and reporters had reservations about the capability of children’s hearings to deal with persistent offenders in part due to a lack of resources.

Cathy Jamieson: Ministers have made clear that tackling persistent young offenders effectively is a priority. The fast-track children’s hearing pilots which will begin soon will deal specifically with this group by offering a guaranteed place on an appropriate programme to help address their needs and prevent re-offending. The Executive is making available significant additional resources to support these programmes and the operation of the pilots in general.